Grey is a timeless and versatile colour. Discover how to use different shades of grey to create a stylish dining room with our grey dining room ideas.
Grey, the colour that lies between black and white, is chic, cool, and timeless. This versatile colour can be used as a subtle neutral or paired with darker colours for a bold contrast. That’s why more and more people are choosing grey as their go-to colour and grey dining room ideas have become highly sought after.
The versatility of grey provides endless possibilities. Whether you prefer a monochrome interior, coastal chic, modern industrial, or even a fusion of styles, grey can easily weave into these aesthetics and the outcome is always amazing. You will find yourself with a grey dining room that’s inviting, intriguing, and impressive.
Here are 20 grey dining room ideas to inspire you, with tips like selecting the perfect grey dining set and pointers on how to choose the right shade of grey for your space.
1. find the perfect shade for your grey dining room
More than just how dark or light a grey is, this versatile colour comes in a variety of undertones. There are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple toned greys. To pick the right shade for your grey interior, make a note of the main colours that exist in your dining room. Are there more reds and browns (warm tones) than blues and purples (cool tones)? Selecting a grey with the same visual temperature will bring out the best of them and make the space feel well put together.
To choose the shade of grey that suits your space, the direction that your dining room faces plays an important role. For instance, south and east-facing rooms may be painted a lighter grey with cool undertones to balance the brighter and harsher daylight. On the other hand, north and west-facing rooms will benefit from a warmer grey with yellow or brown undertones to add extra cosiness come sunset and twilight.
If painting your walls grey is not your cup of tea, use grey furniture instead. Introduce the colour to your space with a grey dining table and matching grey dining chairs. A full grey dining set can complement any backdrop, whether it’s muted tones, bolder colours, or just a classic white. For extra comfort, choose upholstered grey dining chairs in a soft material like luxurious velvet or plush fabric.
If you have an open plan layout and you’re not keen to paint your walls grey, you can get kitchen cabinets in grey and match them with your dining set. This helps to create a nice, cohesive look for your space. All you need to do is choose the kitchen cabinets in a similar shade of grey as the upholstery of the dining chairs or dining table or both. It’s best to pick a light or medium grey to ensure your open plan kitchen diner feels bright and airy.
5. add metallic touches for glamour and extra shine
A little shine here, a little sparkle there. Metallic features easily add volume, light, and class to a grey dining room. Choose a chrome dining set and amp up the luxury factor with lush upholstery such as luxe velvet, plush fabric, or classy leather. Use decorative items with metallic gold or silver details to create a bold contrast against dark grey walls. Framed wall art, mirrors, or photo frames are all great options. Little glimmers of light bounce off the metallic features to create a magical, sparkly effect which will make the room feel brighter.
A common misconception about grey rooms is that they’re automatically dark and dreary, but that doesn’t have to be the case! Getting a grey dining room to look good is all in how you light it up. Choose warm white or soft white bulbs to make a cool grey room feel warmer and cosier.
Hang stylish pendant lights directly above the dining table for maximum illumination and as decorative elements. This placement brings another benefit: it draws the eyes up to make a room feel more spacious and put together. If more brightness is needed, candles make for a classy, cosy lighting option.
Nothing beats the warmth and rustic feel of natural wood. Pairing grey with wood creates a cosy vibe which is particularly suitable for cottage interiors or country style dining rooms. Enjoy the best of both worlds by choosing a wooden dining set that’s painted in grey, the two-toned effect is a nice twist to traditional wood dining sets. Use wooden flooring or wooden wall panels to complete the look of your grey dining room.
As the name suggests, greige is a delightful combination of the colours grey and beige. It’s a versatile neutral that goes well with any dining room, whether the style is contemporary, Scandinavian, or minimalist. You can use the colour for your walls, furniture, and even flooring. When you pair it with touches of metallic or chrome, you’ll get a greige dining room that’s soft and elegant. Greige also pairs nicely with natural materials like stone, wood, and clay.
A grey and green room feels vibrant and full of life so if you’re looking to add a fresh touch to your grey dining room, this is the perfect combination. A light pastel green wall can make your space feel soft and sophisticated while a darker fern green wall gives off a snug, cosy vibe. Both grey and green pair well with wood so throw that in the mix and you’ll have a dining room that’s warm and homely.
Style your dining room with a super trendy coastal chic interior for major chill vibes. Bring a relaxed seaside feel to your dining room with the colour of the ocean, deep blue, and pair it with light coloured wood like oak. Top it off with bits of soothing greys and use seashells or vintage sea-inspired artwork for a rustic touch. Try to keep the palette fairly neutral - blue, grey, white, and beige are reliable options.
With so many modern grey dining room ideas, it can be hard to choose which shade of grey to go with. If that’s the case, go ahead and layer them all. A grey on grey dining room is ultra stylish and modern when done right. One way to start is to use darker shades for the bottom of the room then get lighter as you work upwards. For example, use dark wood flooring or a charcoal grey floor rug, then move on to lighter greys for furniture, upholstery, and even kitchen cabinets. This technique also helps open up the space to make it seem bigger. Just remember to pick greys with the same undertones, whether warm or cool.
While black and white are the classic colours of a monochrome interior, shades of grey are also a popular choice. It is softer and more subtle, which is ideal for creating a calm and cosy grey dining room. To achieve this look, mix different shades of grey like slate grey with pale grey and add touches of black and white. For example, go with pale grey on the walls and choose dining chairs in slate grey but with white legs.
13. include soft textures and plants for a cosy vibe
Create a warm and cosy grey dining room by introducing some plants and soft textures like rugs and throws. Plants invite a burst of freshness, add colour to the space, and some even help clean the air. On the other hand, soft textures provide a relaxing and comforting boost.
To style your grey dining room with these items, put a potted plant in the middle of your dining table and place a comfy rug under your dining set. You can dress your dining chairs with faux fur throws or cushions for extra warmth and cosiness.
Add a touch of grey to a tropical interior for instant chic. The pairing of dark grey chairs, a wooden table, and a rattan pendant light is yes, yes, yes. A patterned rug injects some texture while large, leafy green plants provide a tropical backdrop. The vibe is relaxing, fashionable, and easily achievable.
Start with a grey wall that has green undertones and keep to a neutral palette of whites, greys, and light woods. Fabric dining chairs are ideal as their material provides a nice texture while being comfortable and hard-wearing, just like accessories made from natural materials like rattan.
Liven up your grey dining room with a bright pop of yellow. Reminiscent of sunny days, lemon trees, honey bees, and all things happy, yellow induces positivity and is an energising colour. A zesty lemon yellow creates a nice contrast when paired with darker greys. Whether designing a farmhouse-style dining room, or urban dining nook, this palette is cosy and sophisticated at the same time.
Effortlessly chic, purple is a luxurious colour that goes well with grey and adds a bold touch to your space. Grey walls that might’ve seemed too serious are now balanced by the brightness of a vibrant purple. You can introduce this colour through furniture or upholstery but if that feels too much, use smaller items like purple flowers or purple dinnerware to highlight this colour in your grey dining room.
17. try a modern industrial style grey dining room
Among all the modern grey dining room ideas, this one here is the most unique. Inspired by industrial structures and building materials, an industrial interior design is cool and contemporary. To recreate this look in your dining room, embrace cool neutral greys, metal accents, and raw, rugged textures.
For example, a sleek dining table with a grey concrete top and black metal steel legs is perfect for this aesthetic. Pair it with a matching dining bench or dining chairs upholstered in distressed leather for a touch of vintage vibes. Complete the look with grey flooring, utilitarian lighting fixtures, and accessories made from natural materials.
A Scandinavian interior cheat sheet can be boiled down to these attributes: clutter-free surfaces, pared back yet comfortable decor, plants, candles, and natural elements in a light neutral palette. The style’s characteristic clean surfaces and focus on comfort and wellbeing are strong bedrocks of the art of slow living - very much in line with the concept of hygge.
Starting with cool light grey walls, bring in wooden furniture with light wood finishing or in neutral colours like white. A darker shade of grey is great to have but any muted colour would also work. Introduce plants and natural materials like ceramic through dinnerware to complete the setting.
Spruce up your grey dining room and add some character with a greyscale gallery wall. Start by deciding which layout you would like to go with. Choose between a grid gallery wall, a symmetrical arrangement, or a random eclectic style. Display the frames on the floor to experiment until you find the layout you like most. When hanging the frames up, try to keep a consistent gap between each frame for a polished look. Once everything is hung, you will have a nice focal point in your grey dining room.
When styling a minimalist interior, the first step is always to declutter as having clear, clutter-free surfaces is key to this concept. Apply the same mindset when forming your dining room’s palette and refrain from adding too many colours or shades. One way you can do this is to pair a grey table top with grey flooring, grey kitchen counters, or any other furniture with a grey surface. Choose pieces with clean and sleek lines as those are safe options for a minimalist aesthetic. As for ambience goals? A minimalist dining room aims to be calming, functional, and uncomplicated, but not without style.
Now that you’ve explored a variety of options from these 20 grey dining room ideas, it’s your turn to create your own stylish and timeless grey dining room. If you can’t get enough of grey and want to extend it to other parts of your home, these articles will help you get started: grey living room ideas and grey bedroom ideas.
